Crochet Class
by kyokki
Summary: "All Titans interested in attending Commander Zavala's crochet class please speak to a frame." Sounds like a challenge.


Crochet Class

* * *

A/N: This story idea wouldn't leave me alone ever since I heard that announcement in the tower. Fair warning: This story contains short vignettes along the Destiny storyline, romance, humor, mild cursing and jump puzzles.

* * *

Commander Zavala, hero of Twilight Gap, leader of the vanguard, and bridge between the city and the Guardians that protected it, surveyed his work table with a critical eye. Something was not quite right. He gave the dilemma all due consideration that the situation deserved. He could do no less. After another few moments of careful study he reached out and moved the final piece into place.

All was ready.

Zavala turned at a diffident tap on the door.

And just in time.

"Enter."

One of the tower frames opened the door diffidently. "They have arrived, Commander." It fluted in its mechanical voice before ducking its way back around the edge of the doorframe, gesturing behind it.

"Thank you." He replied. "Show them in."

Three of Zavala's Titans entered, one of them nodding at the frame in thanks while the other two ignored it. It was the human, oddly enough. Zavala made a mental note.

The three strode confidently into the room, their casual clothing somehow conveying a sense of armored readiness through its cut and color.

Of course, any of them could don their battle armor in an instant if necessary, so in a sense they were always armored. Zavala nodded in approval. Their work today required the ease of movement and person to which armor was not always conducive. Even he had shed his pauldrons for a soft gray sweater on this occasion.

Three was a good number, better than he had expected if he were to be completely honest, as he tried to be at least with himself. He had hoped for more enthusiasm, but he understood that many had other duties, training or even past times to attend to. The principal pastime amongst them was to bash each other in the crucible. He preferred other diversions.

The door was about to swing closed when one more figure darted through, light steps silent on the stone floor. The edge of its long and slightly tattered cloak flicked through the door frame, missing being caught between frame and door by a hairsbreadth.

Zavala's eyebrows climbed his forehead. His silent regard caught the attention of the three Titans, who had already seated themselves, and they swiveled around to see what had caught his attention.

"What's she doing here?" One of them demanded, the plates of her EXO face moving together in what was obviously a displeased expression.

Zavala held his hand up for silence.

The Hunter stood at the back of the room, cloak shading the top of her face so only her mouth and chin were visible. Pale blue lips pursed for a moment but she otherwise didn't react to the question. Her posture was just a shade short of defiant, more anticipatory than anything else. Like the others she was unarmored, instead dressed in an odd patchwork of leather and cloth, seemingly cobbled together from a dozen different sources. The stitching was expert and obviously hand tailored. And though she wore no armor like any Hunter even in casual clothes the cloak stayed, its various rips and tears carefully mended.

More than once Shaxx had referred to a Hunter's cloak as a security blanket, but his dig had never once gotten the desired reaction, at least not in Zavala's hearing. Most Hunters either laughed or ignored him. None refuted the statement.

"Do you understand what we are doing here today?" He asked her.

She nodded. "Are non-Titans not allowed?" She asked, a bit of challenge in her voice.

"The announcement was pretty specific." One EXO Titan chimed in, her tone just short of hostile.

The Hunter ignored her, her head never turning from Zavala.

"Perhaps I thought no one else would be interested." He allowed. "Was I incorrect?"

Her mouth quirked up at the corner and she spread her hands in an 'I'm here, aren't I?' gesture.

"I see." He turned, walking back to the front of the room. "In the future I will tailor my announcements more inclusively." He turned to face the room from behind his carefully laid out table. "Do take a seat."

Her hesitation may have been surprise, but it only lasted an instant before she settled herself in a chair at the back of the room, folding her cloak carefully around her.

"I'll keep the introductions brief." He folded his hands behind his back, "You all know who I am, and I know you, if only by sight," He pointedly did not look at the Hunter. "But as you may not know each other please state your names and affiliations."

The first Titan, an EXO with fierce golden eyes, snapped to his feet and stood at attention. "Delan-5 of fireteam Bulwark, sir."

"Your team has done excellent work. Welcome, Delan."

The female EXO stood next, her posture just as straight as Delan-5's, though it seemed to Zavala she was straining a bit, perhaps to seem taller than she was. "Haylee-12. Fireteam Bastion."

"I've heard of your successes in old Europe." Zavala acknowledged. "Well done."

"Thank you sir." She seated herself.

The human Titan stood next. His hand went behind his back and he seemed to be bracing himself. "Royce, sir." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fireteam, 'The Bad Guys Don't Care What we Call Ourselves so Why Bother.' Sorry, sir. Not my idea."

Zavala rubbed at the twinge that had just appeared above his right eye. "Of course."

Royce reseated himself quickly, avoiding the other Titans' amused glances.

Zavala turned his attention to the Hunter sitting in the back of the room. She didn't stand, just reached up and adjusted her hood.

"Alia. Fireteam Minotaur."

"You named yourselves after an enemy?" Royce asked, seeming genuinely curious while Haylee-12 made a disgusted noise.

Alia seemed to take the genuine question in the nature it was presented. "No, we named ourselves after the protector of the maze from which there is no escape. Old mythology. Our Warlock dug it up somewhere." She shrugged. "Just happened to also be the name of an enemy."

"Right." Zavala said. "Welcome, Delan, Haylee, Royce and Alia." he made eye contact with each of the Titans and attempted to do so as well with the Hunter, a difficult task as he still couldn't see her eyes. "Let us begin."

Hands still tucked behind his back, Zavala paced behind his table, marshalling his thoughts. "You are here today to train in a skill that requires a great deal of precision and patience. When we are through you will find yourselves completing the most complicated maneuvers without thought, purely on instinct. The limits of how far you can go will be dependent only on your dexterity, diligence and imagination."

He stopped and faced his audience, gauging their reactions. His Titans looked attentive, the Hunter looked out the window. He successfully suppressed a sigh. For this reason he had tailored his announcement to Titans only. Although in retrospect, inviting the Hunters to this gathering would have been a sure way to guarantee that none would show.

"Now I would have you choose the tools that will carry you through this exercise. Choose wisely and pay attention to what suits your reach and sits well in your hand." He stepped back and gestured at the table before him, inviting his students to approach. They rose and made their orderly way to the table, giving its contents all due consideration before making their choices. He noticed the Hunter had inveigled herself between the two EXOs, likely on purpose. She reached out with slim blue hands, picking up various tools and discarding them, before selecting one that seemed to suit her. She flipped it a few times as she would a throwing knife, drawing a glare from Haylee-12, though Delan-5 didn't seem to notice.

She slipped from between them and moved to the other end of the table. He could see her teeth worrying her lip as she regarded the options. Finally one seemed to catch her fancy and she snagged it before retreating to the back of the room.

He made mental note of her choices before turning his attention to Royce, who seemed to have trouble deciding between two options.

Once everyone had returned to their seats he bent to retrieve his personal kit from beneath the table. Polished, though well worn, his own choice, made so long ago, glinted in the light from the window as he held it comfortably against his palm.

"Now that we have all the physical tools I will begin with the foundation from which all shall be built."

The class watched as he deftly crafted the first form and held it up for them to see. "The chain stitch.

The Commander paced among his students, gauging their progress, correcting and adjusting. Royce seemed to be picking it up fairly well, though it seemed to require all his concentration. He worked hunched over his hook of green yarn, tongue caught between his teeth as he gave each loop his full attention.

Haylee-12 worked as though she had done this before, as she may have, given the nature of the EXO memory. He was already planning to give her more advanced stitches to work on in the next class session, should she choose to continue.

Delan-5 crafted each stitch with mechanical precision, slow and deliberate. Though he only completed half the rows of the others, each one was so precise and perfectly ordered that only those watching him work would know it was crafted by hand.

Zavala paused by the Hunter, Alia. Her head was bent, giving him no view of her shadowed face as she looped the orange strands of the skein she had chosen around the crochet hook. The chains she had completed were lumpy and uneven but he could see that she was trying.

He reached out and covered her fingers with his, controlling the tension she was pulling on each loop. "Consistency will yield a more even result." He explained. She tensed, and for a moment he thought she might spring away. Touchy, even for a Hunter, he thought before she relaxed and her shadowed face turned towards him.

"You have the form." He noted, reaching out his other hand and capturing her smaller fingers in his, "But feel the tension as you wrap the strand around. Then you'll know if you need to tighten or loosen before you yarn through." Her fingers might have trembled for an instant as he guided them to lay lightly on the hook.

"Do you feel it?"

She nodded.

He straightened and glanced at the time piece on the wall.

"I believe we will call the session for the day." He remarked. "There will be another in a week's time, schedule permitting. Do not worry if you have to skip due to obligations in the field, we can pick up where you left off when next you return."

"Should we leave the hooks on the table, sir?" Royce asked.

Zavala shook his head. "The tools are yours to keep. Practice with them, get to know them. I anticipate good results when next we meet."

He heard a rustle and glanced over to see Alia stowing her lumpy crochet, hook and yarn in a pocket sewn inside her cloak.

'Convenient.' He thought. "Dismissed." He said, striding to the table and beginning the process of clean-up.

* * *

"Alia, what are you up to?"

The Hunter glanced up from her comfortable seat in a worn out old armchair to see Herro, her gunslinger squadmate, enter their dormitory, his helmet tilted in curiosity.

"It's called crochet." She replied, measuring out a length of yarn and wrapping it around her hook.

"Seriously?" The EXO pulled off his helmet and thumped down to watch, electric blue eyes narrowing. "Wait, so that announcement in the tower…that was for real?"

Knight, who had been staring out the window of their small tower lodgings, glanced down. He had walked in earlier, but hadn't even seemed to notice she was there. Mind on other things, as usual. "I thought that was for Titans only." The warlock commented.

"Well, you know me." She grinned.

"Couldn't stand being excluded from anything." Knight agreed.

"Got it in one." She made another loop. "The frames wouldn't talk to me, cause, you know, not a Titan, so I had to listen in for a while to get the pertinents." She chuckled and flicked her hook in Herro's direction. "Most of the Titans' questions were along the same lines as yours, Herro."

Herro picked up the skein of yarn and started tossing it from hand to hand before she snatched it back.

He stared at her. "You're actually taking this, uh, seriously?"

"It's something new." She replied, frowning and tucking the skein against her leg, out of reach.

"The pursuit of knowledge is its own reward." Knight stated before frowning. "But I have to go with Herro on this one. Crochet?"

She shrugged, starting a new stitch.

"So what was it like, having Zavala as a teacher?" Herro asked, his voice laden with morbid curiosity. "Did he treat it like a military briefing?"

The voidwalker snorted at Herro's suggestion and Alia's eyes narrowed.

Herro stood and laced his hands behind his back, his bright blue eyes glinting in amusement. "The fate of the city rests on your knitting, Guardian." He intoned in a bad imitation of Zavala's ringing tones, his red and white plates shifting into a haughty expression.

The fact that he _had_ formed the class like a military exercise ran through the awoken Hunter's head, but she wasn't going to give Herro the satisfaction of knowing he was right. Trouble was she didn't know how to frame the lesson in any way that wouldn't make Zavala more of a source of amusement for the others.

"Crochet." She finally said, pushing back her chin length hair and not turning her attention from forming loops on her hook. "Not knitting."

Herro shook his head at her before flopping down on his bunk. "No fun." he complained, wrapping his cloak around himself and settling in for the night.

"Don't forget we're heading to Venus in the morning." Knight reminded her needlessly.

"I won't be up too late." She replied, keeping her attention on making sure the tension was even before pulling the hook through.

* * *

Zavala stood in his place at the head of the Vanguard mentor table, listening to one of his Titan's mission reports. He glanced at his ghost and it bobbed, filing away the information. He fired off a few new orders before leaning over his map and making a note.

"Hunter!" Cayde-6 exclaimed from his place to Zavala's right. "Any new stories?"

Zavala shook his head at the mentor's lack of professionalism.

"Just the usual, Cayde." Said Hunter replied. "Venus is still hot, the Vex are still nasty, and Herro is still climbing everything in sight."

Cayde-6 chuckled as Zavala glanced up, recognizing that voice.

"How high did he manage to get this time?" Cayde asked.

Zavala tuned out of the irrelevant conversation as he surreptitiously examined his unexpected Hunter student.

Her face was covered by a helmet that marked her a Nightstalker, the violet flames licking a blank mask. Nightstalkers were rare, and only recently had they had any presence at all in the Tower. Even as Alia spoke to Cayde, her head turned slightly towards Zavala, perhaps feeling his regard, and she gave a short nod of acknowledgement before giving the Hunter mentor her full attention.

Her voice seemed tired, he thought, even as she laughed, and her cloak had acquired a few new tears that she apparently hadn't yet had time to tend to.

He realized he was examining her a little too closely and cleared his throat, turning back to his map.

When he glanced up again, she had already gone.

"Good kid, Alia." Cayde-6 mused, mostly to himself, though his eyes darted, for some reason, in Zavala's direction. "Quick learner. Good sense of humor, if a little too straight-laced for me. One of the new ones, you know. Talented." Now he addressed Zavala directly.

"Why are you telling me this?" Zavala asked.

"What? You seemed interested." Cayde protested, all innocence. "Pretty, too. If you like the blue type."

"Cayde. Really." Ikora chimed in from her side of the table, proving she had been listening in.

"This is hardly the time." Zavala growled.

"Oh, so you want to talk about it later? Have some drinks? Talk about girls? Bond?" Cayde asked. "I know this great spicy ramen shop…"

Ikora snorted.

"Don't encourage him." Zavala told her.

"All right. All right." Cayde grumbled. "But, hey, if you need any advice you know where to find me. I'll be…" He sighed. "Right here."

"I'm certain I'll never take you up on that." Zavala snapped.

"Sure, you say that _now."_ Cayde murmured, thankfully dropping the subject before any other Guardians wandered up.

* * *

Alia lay on the wind-blasted hilltop, staring down at the amassed Cabal, her fireteam to either side of her, similarly staring.

"Is it my imagination, or are there more than usual?" She whispered.

Knight seemed to be taking a headcount.

"They do take up more space. Could just be that." Herro chimed in, pulling out his scout rifle and checking it before sighting down the scope. "Nope, I was wrong. Definitely more."

"I hate fighting Cabal. All brute force, no finesse." Alia complained, rolling into a crouch. Void light shone briefly around her hand before she closed her fist hurriedly, quenching it.

"You all right?" Herro asked.

"Fine," she replied.

Knight looked at her, the angle of his helmet communicating doubt.

"I'm fine." She said again. "Just a little tired." She pulled out her sniper rifle and checked it.

Knight paused for a moment, somehow communicating displeasure before speaking. "Herro and I will flank. You pick off as many as you can from here then drop your tether when you get them grouped up." He checked his own weapon. "I'll nova and Herro will take out the stragglers with his golden gun."

"So…same plan as usual." Herro said. "You know, it would be easier if you just said, 'hey, guys, same plan as usual.' It'd save time."

Knight stared at him and Alia could just picture the glare hidden behind the helmet.

She was thankful her own smile was well hidden.

"You're giving me the death stare, aren't you." Herro sighed.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Knight agreed.

"You know it won't actually kill me."

"Hope springs eternal."

"If you two are done, let's do this before they start to spread out." Alia interjected.

 _Guardian?_

"Little busy, Toby." She replied, raising her sniper and sighting on the first head.

 _I would just like to note that your stress levels are elevated._

"Kind of fighting right now, Toby."

 _In general, that is._

One soft pull of the trigger, one phalanx down. "Can we talk about this later?" She murmured.

 _Of course, Guardian._

* * *

 _Is now a good time?_

Alia sighed and rolled over, she wanted to throw her arm over her eyes but remembered at the last moment that she was still armored and that would probably hurt. Instead she stared up at the stars overhead.

"Go ahead, Toby. Hit me with it."

 _Why would I want to hit…never mind._ Her ghost sounded genuinely concerned. _Your missions have been pretty constant recently. You've even been spending most of your down time in crucible. I've growing concerns for your mental health._

"You think I'm losing it, Toby?"

 _I think you are pushing yourself too hard. The mind needs to be rested just as much as the body and lately you are getting too little for either._

"So I have trouble sleeping." She murmured.

 _Your mental state was a great deal more relaxed when you were pursuing your new hobby._

"That was a…"

 _I think you enjoyed it. You should not let the judgment of others keep you…_

"I didn't stop because of anything anyone did." She sighed. "When we're out here I'm either sleeping, fighting or standing watch. Any lapse of attention could be disastrous."

A long pause. _The void is fighting you._

Her jaw clenched, but she couldn't deny it.

 _Promise me that next time you're in the Tower you will spend at least_ some _time relaxing._

"Fine."

 _Thank you, Guardian._

* * *

Zavala looked up from his worktable at the sound of the door opening. He watched as a cloaked figure stepped almost hesitantly inside and paused, looking around.

"Did I get the time wrong?" She asked.

Zavala set aside his book and stood. He hadn't expected any students after no one had shown in the first half hour. He was so pleased that one had arrived that he couldn't even bring himself to chide her for her tardiness.

"No, of course not." He replied, stepping around the table. "Welcome back, Alia."

She smiled, perhaps pleased that he had remembered her name. It had been a while, after all.

"Thank you, ah…Commander."

"Have you been practicing?" He asked, gesturing her to take a seat.

She shrugged uncomfortably. "Not as much as I should. But when I was able…"

"I understand our commitments make such things difficult." He agreed, taking a seat across from her. She seemed a little surprised at his proximity, but covered it by fussing over her cloak. "May I see your work?" He asked.

She nodded and rummaged under her cloak for a moment, finally pulling out a solid orange crocheted blanket nearly as long as her floor-sweeping cloak. "I didn't, ah, know where to stop."

"Where did you even keep that?" He found himself asking.

She smiled again. "Hunter secret."

He gave her an exasperated look and she laughed before falling into pensive silence as he examined her work. There were gaps large enough to fit his considerably large hand through, and other parts where it looked as though she had given up and just tied a knot before starting over. That being said, the places that had been done correctly were neat and even.

Alia squirmed in her chair as he proceeded down the rows. "I got a little creative towards the middle." she explained.

"I can see that." He kept his expression blank.

"I can see you seeing that." She lilted.

He glanced up at the Hunter to see her smile was back in place. She was teasing him, he realized. Usually none but Cayde and perhaps Ikora, if she was in a mood, would even think to tease him.

He handed the blanket back to the Hunter.

"Well?" She asked.

"I can see definite improvements and even your, ah, creative attempts were conceptually correct even if not well executed." He rose and went to get his kit. "I can see what you were trying to do. So if I may?"

"Please." She replied, before rummaging again under her cloak. "I got some more yarn from Eva. She knows what colors I like."

She produced yet another skein of orange yarn from beneath her cloak. This one was even brighter than the one he had provided.

Zavala cleared his throat. "Have you considered using different colors along with…orange?"

Her mouth dropped open slightly. "You can do that?"

He couldn't help his amused smile.

Her expression changed subtly, just for a moment, before she shook herself. "I only have this color right now, though."

"I have others." He replied, grabbing his kit and several extra skeins of yarn. "You're welcome to make use of them."

Together they compared the colors, holding up each one to the orange and seeing what worked well together.

"It clashes with just about everything, doesn't it?" She asked, deflated.

Zavala held up another skein. "It's about coordination, not matching. Like combining different skill sets to make a more efficient fireteam." He shook his head. "Perhaps a violet. For the void." She glanced at him.

"Maybe."

He rose and went to his table to look for the right color.

"If I may ask, why orange?" He said while rummaging in the bins.

"It's my favorite color." she replied. "I…I remember it always being my favorite color."

"Such memories are rare."

She nodded. "And, well…When I woke up, there was this." She reached up to grasp her hood, hesitated, and pushed it back.

Silky silver-blue hair fell back into place, brushing her jaw. Brows the same color framed silver-blue eyes and…

"Your facial tattoos." Subtle, at the corners of her eyes and between her brows.

"Yeah, orange."

"Which goes remarkably well with your coloration."

Her cheeks went slightly violet, making the silver lines running through them stand out sharply. She truly was attractive, as he remembered Cayde pointing out. He distracted himself by pulling out a different skein of yarn.

She watched him, fiddling with her hook, as he returned, arms full of colors. He laid them on an empty chair, pushing a finger through to sort them before picking up the one he wanted. He sat and held it up to her cheek.

"A perfect match." He said, and without his volition his eyes locked on hers. That surprised look returned, and now he could read her eyes. She looked confused and perhaps a little flustered as she took the yarn from him and held it, glancing between him and the skein.

She held it up, squinting a little at the pale blue with silver strands. "A perfect match." She murmured. "I couldn't possibly use this. It's obviously…"

"Then save it for when you feel your skill matches the materials." He coughed and looked away. "I look forward to seeing what you can produce."

"I will." She agreed, tucking it away. "But for now, maybe the violet?"

"Yes, of course." He reached into his kit and pulled out his hook. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

 _Guardian, if I may…_

"You're going to anyway, so might as well." Alia grumbled, making her way through the Tower's twisting corridors.

 _No need to be testy. I would just like to note that your stress levels have reduced by three percent. However, I would also point out that your heart rate spiked significantly several times during your interaction with the Commander._

Alia groaned and turned to tap her forehead against the wall. "Why does he have to be so _nice_?"

 _You say that as though it were a bad trait._

"And when he smiles his eyes light up…"

 _More so than usual? He is awoken, after all._

"You're not being helpful, Toby." She tapped her forehead against the wall again. "What is wrong with me?" She pointed without looking at a Warlock who happened to be walking by. "Don't you dare answer." She warned.

The Warlock held up her hands and continued on her way, no doubt thinking dark thoughts about crazy Hunters.

 _If I may say, besides elevated stress levels and a recently acquired tendency to cause self- injury, there is nothing appreciably wrong with you. Unless you count finding the Commander attractive as being_ wrong.

"I don't…" She groaned and pushed her hands through her hair before flipping the hood of her cloak up and settling it into its usual place.

 _You never even told your fireteam…your_ friends _, about your favorite color. And yet…_

"Stop being right about stuff."

If a silent voice in her head could _feel_ smug, Toby managed it.

"I regret that Deviled costume I put you in for Festival." She grumped. "I think the little horns and tail went to your processor."

 _Bad enough that you have me in pink._ Toby grumbled, his physical form bobbing into existence a few inches in front of her face. "Do I sound _pink_ to you?"

"It's really more of a lightish red. And I think you look charming."

"Charming." he huffed, spinning irritably before settling above her shoulder as she continued down the passageway. "…Is hardly practical. And I would never do anything not in your best interest, Guardian. I am merely expressing concern for your welfare and offering possible solutions."

"I'm not sure what solution it is you're proposing."

Toby's shell twirled thoughtfully. "As spending time with the Commander seems to have the effect of reducing your stress level, I am recommending that you spend more of your free time with the Commander."

Alia stopped in her tracks.

Toby floated a few more paces before stopping and turning to regard her with his steady blue optic.

"Uh." She shifted uneasily, glancing around before adjusting her hood to shade her eyes more completely. "Are you suggesting…?"

"That you continue your crochet lessons." Toby bobbed before tilting himself at an inquisitive angle. "Why? What did you think I was suggesting?"

"I, uh." Alia swept forward, not glancing at her ghost as she passed. "Never mind. We'd better get going if we're going to meet the guys for lunch." She added in a hurried voice as she made her way soundlessly out of the narrow passage into the light and bustle of a tower mid-day.

* * *

Watching EXO eat, Alia reflected, was an exercise in questions. How, what, why, and, most disturbing, where, all went through her mind as she picked at her meal, watching in morbid fascination as Herro and Knight polished their plates with obvious enjoyment. One would think that after the year the three of them had been together she would be used to it, but still those disturbing questions filled her mind even as Herro filled his glowing mechanical mouth with noodles.

Between each bite Knight flipped a page of the book he was reading. It was written in some technical language that Alia gave up on after attempting to read it upside down for several minutes. She doubted she would be able to understand it even had it been right side up, but her natural curiosity demanded she at least make the attempt.

No doubt he would make the attempt to explain if she asked, but that would most likely lead to an hour of her trying to look interested as he lectured, red eyes glowing with some sort of Warlock fervor. But there was always an impromptu quiz following such explanations and she had never once passed.

Knight made a tsking sound and pushed his empty plate away in order to devote himself more fully to his studies. Herro glanced at Alia and narrowed his glowing blue eyes in amusement. Alia took a sip of her drink and shook her head ruefully.

"So what did Cayde want to talk to you about?" She asked finally.

"You know that creepy lady, showed up in the tower a few days ago?"

She nodded. "Eris, I think."

"Yeah, that's the one." He leaned back and folded his arms over where, on a biological, his stomach would be. "She wants us to go to the moon."

"Just us?"

"For now." he agreed. "Remember those big knights we fought there a while back? Sword of Crota? Something to do with that."

Alia hummed thoughtfully.

"Crota is a hive 'god'," Knight made air quotes with his metallic fingers, not once looking up from his book. "Mare Imbrium, before our time. Huge battle, it didn't go well." he flipped another page of his book. "He broke the moon."

"Well, yeah, it didn't go well if he's breaking our stuff." Herro commented.

"And killed thousands of Guardians." Knight glanced up. Herro didn't have a comment for that statement so the other EXO let it stand.

"And Eris wants the three of us to go after him?" Alia asked, almost nonchalantly, before taking another sip of her drink.

"Yup."

"Seems to be the case." Knight shrugged.

"Can't be any worse than Atheon, right?" Herro chimed in helpfully.

Alia shuddered at the memory of the ground disappearing from beneath her feet over and over again, the disorientation of being moved from place and time in the blink of an eye. She shook off the memory with an effort.

 _Your stress levels appear to be rising again._

Alia rolled her eyes. "I'll make sure to bring my crochet."

* * *

"New report from Fireteam Minotaur, Commander." Zavala accepted the missive from the messenger frame.

"Thank you." The Commander accepted the memory chit and passed it to his ghost to scan. Almost instantaneously the encrypted text flashed to his hologaphic tab. He had been keeping close tabs on Minotaur's progress, as had they all.

The script was quickly transcribed and he flipped his hand to transfer the new data to the other mentors' tabs.

:Transcript as follows:

Minotaur reporting

Associated - Knight-1 - designation; Warlock

\- Herro-1 - designation; Hunter

\- Alia Tev - designation; Hunter

Associated - Luna; Hellmouth; Crota; Eris Morn

K-1: Missive to the Vanguard- We will shortly be moving into the final phase of our offensive. The hope is that the Hive prince will be sufficiently weakened by our previous actions. Hunter Alia has recruited a second fireteam to assist.

:Addendum:

Associated - May Bae - designation; Titan

\- Star-1 - designation; Warlock

\- Xavier Rain - designation; Titan

K-1: Regardless of the outcome please make a note of their bravery in accompanying us on this mission.

Fortunately to this point casualties have been minimal and with ghost assistance we have reached what seems to be the final barrier to our destination.

Further communications would be unwise. Radio silence from this point on will be maintained.

:aside: What, Alia? No. This is hardly necessary. Hey!

AT: Oh, just let me do it. Move over. Hi, Commander. Two things. One; did you know crochet hooks make for a handy weapon in a pinch? And two; do you think you could pick a new one out for me? I think you'll know what I like.

K-1: If you're finished. Yes? No, Herro, you can't leave a message. I don't care if it's not fair. Light be with us all. Guardian out.

:end transcription:

"Bit of an odd turn at the end there." Cayde commented, trying and failing to keep the amusement from his voice.

Zavala cleared his throat. "That aside, there is nothing we can do at this point besides wait."

"And pick out a new crochet hook, apparently." Ikora added, a small smile curving her mouth.

Zavala treated them both to a glare before calling the meeting adjourned.

* * *

Orange chromed metal.

Alia held her new crochet hook up to the light streaming in the window of the quarters she shared with her fireteam. It glinted in a pleasing way, reminding her of a sunset before a storm. It was exactly what she would have chosen for herself if she'd known where to procure a hook on her own.

She wasn't sure what had led her to make the odd request of the Commander. At the time it had been something of a whim. But now she had an inkling that it was more than that. Maybe she had just wanted to have a connection, even while in the middle of the Hellmouth, or wherever they had _actually_ ended up. Perhaps she had wanted to know someone would be thinking of her while she was in that blasted place. Someone anticipating her return. The acknowledgement that she _would_ return. A plan for the future that, at that moment, had seemed so uncertain.

So that she would have something more than duty to the light to return to.

Was it selfish? Perhaps.

She turned the hook in her fingers.

He had been waiting for her at the appointed lesson time. He hadn't smiled, just handed her the hook.

It had been enough. So much more than enough.

He had been certain, or at least hopeful enough of her eventual return that he had found a crochet hook that suited her perfectly.

The realization had nearly brought her to tears, and she was glad she had had her hood up to hide her fatigue bruised eyes.

She yawned, stopping herself midway through.

So tired, but afraid to sleep.

The Hellmouth had affected all of them in different ways. But she wondered if the fact that she was awoken had made her more susceptible.

The whispers hadn't stopped.

They invaded her dreams, making her shun sleep even when she was so tired that she could hardly aim. It was good that her fireteam had been given leave for a few weeks to recover, though Herro was already champing at the bit.

Unless she could figure out how to sleep again she would fast become a liability.

And that she could never accept.

* * *

Zavala glanced over the heads of his new students, checking on the single occupant in the back of the room. Something about her stillness bothered him. Perhaps because it wasn't her usual watchful stillness, but one that spoke more of a bone deep fatigue. He could understand that, given the events of the past month. That she had shown up on consecutive lesson days had been an unexpected surprise. And an unexpectedly pleasant one, he'd had to admit, if only to himself.

It had given him a warm feeling to watch her using the hook he had chosen for her, nearly as warm as the one that had overcome him when, upon its presentation, she had given him a dazzling smile of thanks.

"Commander, I think I need to see that one more time, sir." Yue called his attention back.

"Of course," He replied. "Now where's the trouble?"

He spent the rest of the lesson giving one on one attention to each student as they required. It was still a small turn out but there had been no more Hunters, or Warlocks for that matter, since Alia had dashed through his door.

One unique Hunter.

His internal sense of time told him that it was time for the lesson to end, a glance at the clock confirmed it. He concluded the lesson with his usual admonitions and began to clean up as the students filed out.

All but Alia.

He set down the yarn he had been gathering and cautiously approached her chair. He managed to not show his surprise when her ghost popped into sight when he was a few feet away.

The Commander stopped and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Commander." It bobbed its respect. Zavala responded with a diffident nod to the pink ghost. "Commander, I have a request." It said quietly.

Zavala glanced at the cloak wrapped figure before gesturing the ghost to continue.

"Please, let her sleep." The ghost bobbed again, this time twisting nervously.

Zavala's brow furrowed.

"She's exhausted, and I am…concerned for her." The ghost continued talking as Zavala approached the figure and reached out a hand to gently pull the hood back from her face.

Even in sleep there was a crease between those silver brows with their orange accents. She stirred slightly, eyelids framed by darker circles fluttering. A piece of her hair was caught between her lashes. He reached out to free it and she turned her head, snuggling her cheek against his palm.

The Commander froze.

Her ghost popped into his field of vision. "I think she feels safe enough to sleep here, with you."

"I cannot stand here like this." Zavala growled. Her eyelashes fluttered against his thumb and he was trying not to think about the softness of her cheek against his calloused palm. She gave a contented little sigh and he capitulated.

"Ghost, I require a chair, a table, my tab and the papers on my worktable."

The ghost spun in relief. "Thank you, Commander." He whispered before dashing off to retrieve the items Zavala requested.

* * *

Lord Shaxx was on the warpath. The Guardians in the hallways wisely stayed out his projected course, sometimes by leaping through doorways or out windows to avoid being barreled through by the hulking mass of the Crucible quartermaster. It wasn't exactly rare to see Shaxx in this kind of mood. In fact, it was quite common so at least everyone knew it would be a very bad idea to get in his way, no matter how far up the food chain one was.

It only took one object lesson to teach the unenlightened.

He stomped up to the door that led to Zavala's private workroom and slammed it open with one massive fist.

A ghost he was unfamiliar with zoomed over and intercepted the door before it crashed against the wall.

"Shhh." It hissed, apparently unaware of what a bad idea it was.

Shaxx puffed himself up. "How dare…"

"Shaxx, do be quiet." Zavala snapped; authority laced through his quiet tone.

Shaxx blinked behind his faceplate, finally seeing through the haze of red enough to take in that he had stumbled onto a very strange scene.

Zavala sat in an armchair, one hand busy with pen and paper, his eyes on the shuffling pages scattered across the small table pulled up beside him. The other hand supported the cheek of a Hunter he knew very well indeed, not the best at Crucible, _far_ from it, but very determined. Her hands were wrapped around the Commander's forearm, and her sleeping face looked extremely contented with her current position.

Few times in his life had Shaxx been completely derailed.

This proved to be one of those times.

"I'll…" He backed up a pace or two. "I'll just come back later, shall I?"

"That would be best." Zavala agreed, still not looking up, just using his free hand to shuffle another piece of paper to the top of the pile.

"Right." Shaxx backed through the door, pulling it gently shut with one giant hand. Very faintly through the closed door he could hear Zavala's voice.

"Ghost, lock the door, would you?"

"Of course, Commander." The ghost replied, and Shaxx heard the snick of the bolts hitting home.

Shaxx stood there for a good long time, as the scene he _knew_ he had seen refused to process as a legitimate memory. For as long as he had known Zavala, and that had been a _long_ time, ever since they had apprenticed together under Saladin, he had never known the Commander to be swayed by a female. But perhaps it had only been a kindness, the story behind which he would never ask.

Zavala had always been too nice for his own good.

That settled, Lord Shaxx turned and strode his way back to his command center, his original grievance forgotten…for now.

* * *

Alia shifted, stretching a few kinks out of her back. She must have slept in an odd position, but having slept so little lately she would take a few twinges over the alternative. She opened her eyes, blinking away the bleariness, to find herself in a room made unfamiliar by darkness. Or perhaps just unfamiliar in general. She was used to sleeping in odd places when out in the wild so it took her only a few moments to orient herself. The last thing she remembered was walking past the staring Titans to take her usual seat then…nothing.

Until now, when she woke, warm and rested, more relaxed than she had been in months, leaning against…

Her eyes widened and, being careful not to make any sudden movements, she shifted just enough to see what, or rather, _who_ she'd woken up with. Swirling silver lines, subtle in the light, but glowing in the darkness with beautiful pattern just beneath the scalp, rested against her shoulder. His hand was gripped in hers. Stark black lashes beneath jetty brows rested against pale blue cheeks.

She couldn't help but admire the harsh beauty of the man she had woken up with, even as her mind reeled in shock and denial. How the _hell_ had this happened, one part of her screamed, while another part of her was silently delighted.

"Toby?" She whispered, nearly silent. "What's going on?"

 _You're looking much better, Guardian._ Her ghost's smug voice chimed in her mind. _I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting the Commander to stay with you so long, but after you had a death grip on his arm…_

"I did what?" She hissed.

 _It wasn't his dominant hand, so he was still able to work with the other._ The ghost explained, unhelpfully. _Frankly, I think he needed the rest as much as you._

Zavala sighed, and she instinctively snuggled in closer to his side, a warm affection spreading unexpectedly through her.

"Toby, is this your doing?" She murmured, unable to resist resting her free hand on the Commander's chest, feeling the rise and fall of each even breath.

 _I merely asked him to let you sleep, and pointed out that you seemed to feel able to in his presence rather than otherwise._

Because of the whispers.

Ever since she had returned from that _hive_ of pain and darkness the whispers had been there in the back of her mind, behind her eyelids, in the silence of a darkened room. Until now, when all she could hear was the even tides of Zavala's breath.

She was torn between thanking her ghost and shaking him until his optic rattled in his shell.

She settled for saying nothing.

It was impossible to say how much time had passed before the Commander stirred, dark lashes opening. She looked down into his eyes as sleep cleared almost instantly.

"You've awoken."

Alia couldn't help but smile, couldn't help but raise her hand to touch his cheek. "So have you." He stilled, and she let her hand drop. "Thank you for letting me sleep."

He sat up, and she immediately felt the loss.

"The welfare of all Guardians is chief among my concerns." he said stiffly.

"Yes, sir." She replied. His sudden distance hurt. She looked away.

"Alia."

"Yes, sir."

"Alia," He repeated, more insistently.

She glanced back at him. Her gaze snagged on the look in his eyes, so intense in the darkness. Her breath caught.

"I…do not like to admit that…" He cleared his throat. "There are certain matters that I... My duties do not allow for…" He stopped, took a breath. "Alia, I find you enchanting in a way that I am not entirely comfortable with."

Her face must have been a picture because he once again cleared his throat, looking away. She reached out and touched his cheek again, this time with more confidence as she turned his head back so she could smile into his eyes.

"Zavala." She told him seriously. "That must be one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me."

"That doesn't seem possible." He replied doubtfully.

"So where do we go from here?" She asked, resting her hand on his arm.

"I'm…not certain." he said. "We both have duties. We have commitments. We have very little free time."

"We also have crochet." She lilted, running her fingers along his bicep.

"We do, at that." He replied, breath catching as her fingers trailed across his pectoral muscle. "Perhaps that is where we start." He murmured, leaning close as the trail of her fingers ran up the side of his throat to rest on the underside of his jaw. She followed her fingers, brushing her lips between jaw and ear. He stopped trying to talk as he turned his head to meet her lips.

Their mouths found each other, uncertain at first, then with growing confidence. The dim room became smaller, for just a moment, nothing existed besides the two awoken, their silver threads blending in the darkness. Finally they pulled apart, both breathless, both a little surprised.

"Or perhaps we start right here."

* * *

 _Your stress levels have reduced by fifteen percent, Guardian._

"Shut up, Toby." Alia grinned.

* * *

"So I hear you did all your work from home yesterday."

"Your point, Cayde?"

"Oh, nothing…nothing. Hey, did you happen to see one of my Hunters? Her fireteam came looking for her when she missed their lunch date. I think she's in your crochet class?"

"That will be all, Cayde."

"You had a class yesterday, right?"

"Do we need to discuss your frame, Cayde?"

"Ah, ha. I'll shut up now."

* * *

"So the Reef has asked for our help." Herro asked, drumming his metal fingers on the table. It rang like a bell.

"More like the Queen has called in her marker." Knight corrected.

Alia shook her head. "I nearly forgot about the 'favor' we owed her for her help with the Black Garden."

"Well, we can be certain that _she_ didn't forget about it." Knight shook his head. "I get the feeling that she doesn't forget much. Or anything. At all. Ever."

Alia smiled at him. "Careful, you almost sound like you admire her."

Knight huffed, sharp red eyes narrowing in his silver chrome face. "I admire her mind."

"Very Warlock of you."

Alia made another loop on her hook. Herro looked on in fascination.

"What are you making now?"

She smiled to herself. "I thought I'd make a scarf for your birthday."

"Birthday?"

"Birthday." She agreed.

"I think she's losing it." Herro said aside, sotto voice, to the other EXO.

Alia rolled her eyes. "What does it matter, pick a day." She gestured. "Voila, happy birthday."

"And what if I said it was tomorrow?"

"Then I hope you'll like your potholder."

Knight cleared his throat. "If we could please get back on track." He glanced around the table. "Good, everyone? Okay. So we need to head to the Vestian Outpost and talk to a fallen that lives there."

Herro raised his hand.

Knight closed his eyes briefly in annoyance. "Yes, Herro?"

"So this fallen isn't going to try and kill us?"

"Yes."

Herro looked impressed. "Huh." He raised his hand again.

"Careful, Herro. If you give Knight an aneurysm you're going to be the one to explain it to the people at the repair shop." Alia told him mock-seriously.

"Just ask." Knight growled.

"Fallen can talk?"

Knight groaned and buried his burnished metal face in his hands. Alia set down her crochet to pat his shoulder. "There, there."

"May 18th." He murmured.

"What was that?"

He looked up at her with the one eye not covered by his hands. "That's my birthday."

"Only a few weeks away." She shook her head. "Guess I'm making this for you instead."

"Hey," Herro protested.

Knight raised his head just enough to give the other EXO a triumphant smile.

* * *

"That's a new cloak, isn't it?"

Alia grinned and twirled to show it off. "Got it off a Fallen rebel."

Zavala approached from behind his table, giving the awoken woman a long once-over. He nodded, reaching up to tweak the folds of fabric at her throat. "It suits you."

"And it takes orange perfectly."

Zavala smiled one of his rare smiles as she leaned forward and captured his mouth with hers.

* * *

Alia looked out into the space beyond the Dreadnought's shields. The wreckage of Reef ships floated lazily, slowly drifting to become part of the ring system around Saturn, making it into a graveyard, a memorial to a hopeless battle bravely fought. Her jaw set, fury simmering.

Herro and Knight stood behind her, discussing their options in low voices. Something about this place made you want to whisper, as though anything louder had the chance of waking something better left sleeping.

She spun, cloak floating behind her, and strode to her fireteam, unholstering her pulse as she approached.

"We ready?" She asked.

"Ghosty says his scans have found a couple ways we could go." Herro told her, "But this place is kind of a maze."

Knight jerked his helmet in the direction of the large doorway leading inward. "I say we follow the light."

"Are you being figurative?" Alia asked.

"No." Knight gestured again and this time Alia could see the ball of light hovering a short way off the floor. It looked remarkably similar to the one they had seen on Phobos. It danced in place, seeming almost impatient.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt." She shrugged.

"Oh, I'm thinking it can." Herro snorted. "A lot. Lots of hurting."

"Just be alert." Knight told the two Hunters. He held up his hands defensively as they both turned their helmets to stare at him.

"Being alert is kind of what we do." Herro complained.

"What he said." Alia agreed.

Knight shook his head. "Just forget I said anything."

* * *

"Hey, Zavala, want to see what a beacon on the Dreadnought looks like?"

Alia winced at Zavala's reply, feeling just a little bit sorry for Cayde.

Knight facepalmed.

When the transmission cut off Herro turned to Alia. "I think the Commander was just a smidge upset."

"You think?" She asked, mouth twitching.

"I can't believe the mission was unsanctioned." Knight complained, lifting his head. "We'll be lucky not to get restricted to the Tower for this."

"I doubt it." Alia shrugged. "Zavala's reasonable enough to realize that this was Cayde's idea."

"Besides, you can talk him around if you want to, right?" Herro supplied, throwing in a teasing elbow.

Alia glared.

"You're giving me the death stare, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"You could shoot him a few times if it makes you feel better." Knight added helpfully. "Tell Ghosty to get ready for revive."

"Hey," Herro backed off, hands held up. "Stop ganging up on me."

Alia shook her head, wondering why it was taking so long for their ships to arrive. Finally she sighed and decided to head this off. "Work is work." She sighed. "We keep them separate. I wouldn't want him to hesitate to send me into danger because of…our relationship. He knows that."

"Compartmentalization." Knight provided.

"Yeah, that." She sighed. "I wish I had had more time to think up a better excuse for missing our lunch date."

"You were never a good liar, anyway." Knight told her.

Herro shook his head in agreement even as their ships swooped in and they were trans-matted away.

* * *

"You're mad."

"He sent you in there unprepared."

"I don't think there was a way to truly prepare for that place."

Zavala took Alia's outstretched hands and leaned his forehead against hers. "I worry for you."

"I know."

* * *

Alia sat in the bar near the docking bay, nursing the drink in her hand. This would be the last chance to relax before the next big fight. Someone had turned on the jukebox and a few of the other Guardians were dancing, dancing for the pure enjoyment of it or dancing to forget, she could never tell. Someone slid into the seat next to her and she moved over to make more room before glancing to see who it might be.

"Cayde." she nodded.

"Guardian." He nodded back before gesturing for a drink.

"Meeting over?"

"Probably." He shrugged.

She shook her head with a small smile before taking another sip of her drink.

One of the frames approached with a glass of glowing green liquid that Cayde accepted gratefully. "Ah, that hits the spot." He sighed. "Hey, Guardian, you a gambling woman?"

Alia lifted an eyebrow. "If you're trying to get me to make a Hunter bet I'm not interested."

Cayde slapped one hand where his heart would be, assuming an incredulous look. "What kind of Hunter are you?"

"Not a gambling one." She glared.

He huffed a laugh. "Now, for some reason I don't believe you."

Now both pale eyebrows went up. "Oh?"

"The biggest gamble of all is that of the heart."

Her mouth dropped open. "Wow. Did you seriously just say that?"

"Yeah. Sounded better in my head."

"Really corny." She agreed. "Like, massive amounts of corn."

He took a sip of his drink. "Still true." He shrugged, glancing sideways at her.

Alia sighed and leaned forward. "What are you getting at, Cayde?"

"What, do I need an ulterior motive? Can't just stop by to chat with my favorite Guardian? Have a few drinks? Bond?"

She stared at him.

"Not buying it, huh?"

"Nope."

"This is why I like you, Guardian. No beating around the bush. Straight to the point." He raised his glass and she clinked hers against it, "I can respect that."

"Uh-huh."

He turned, propping his elbow on the bar to focus the awoken Hunter with his full attention. "So…to the point. When you and Zavala..."

"Leaving now." Alia slapped some glimmer on the bar and rose.

"Come on!" Cayde swiveled on his stool but made no move to follow. "What's a little gossip between friends?"

Alia stopped in her tracks, turned and walked back to fix Cayde with a thoughtful look, her eyes, for a moment, more violet than blue. With a practiced move she flicked her cloak back over her shoulder and leaned over to whisper in Cayde's approximation of an ear.

Cayde's eyes got wider and wider, his mouth dropping open as she talked. Finally she stopped and, with a knowing smirk, took in Cayde's expression, nodded once and stalked off with an extra swing to her step.

Cayde stared after her until she disappeared around the corner then seemed to realize he still had his drink in his hand and knocked it back in one long swallow before turning back and signaling for another. Resting his elbows on the bar he shook his head ruefully. "Well, I did ask for it." He accepted the new drink and drained it. "How am I ever going to look him in the eye again?" He complained to the frame.

The frame didn't respond.

* * *

"Never again." Knight commented sourly.

"I think you did well." May grinned.

"Floofed like you'd never floofed before." Herro chimed in. "Besides, it must've been an experience. Warlocks like those."

"One, it's not 'floofing', it's _gliding._ Warlocks _glide."_ Knight snarled. "And two, being torn between two dimensions is not an experience I would recommend to anyone. Right Alia? Alia, you okay?"

The Hunter visibly shook herself, focusing on the group now staring at her. "What? Oh. Yeah, not something I'd want to repeat." Her eyes drifted back to the dead god's corpse floating slowly towards the gas giant below. "I'm glad it's over."

* * *

"I'm still here, aren't I?" She asked sleepily, arms clinging to Zavala as though she were afraid if she let go even for an instant she would disappear.

He gently brushed her hair away from her eyes. "You're still here."

"Okay." She murmured, nuzzling her face against his neck and drifting back to sleep.

* * *

"Beautiful, isn't it." Alia smiled into the bracing wind, using her cloak as a blanket to keep out the worst of the chill.

"I wouldn't know." Herro called out from somewhere below her.

She knelt to peer over the edge. "Of all people I thought _you'd_ be the first one to the top."

"Not my fault." Herro huffed. "You…uff…pushed me."

"I was nowhere near you." She grinned. "Watch that next jump, it's a little…"

"Shit!"

 _Guardian down._

She snorted with laughter.

Ghosty popped into existence, concentrated, and Herro reappeared further down the mountain. "Damn it!"

"How you doing, Knight?" she called.

"Hunters suck and I hate mountains." He griped from a considerable distance away. "Why are we doing this, again?"

She shrugged. "For the challenge?" She called down.

"Screw that!" He roared, even as he kept climbing.

Herro heaved himself over the edge of the topmost outcropping, spared just enough energy to fix her with an accusing glare before flopping down on his back and fixing his electric blue eyes on the sky.

"Hey, you made it."

"Not…another…word." He panted. She shook her head and walked over to give him a hand up. He allowed her to tow him to his feet with bad grace before fixing his gaze on the horizon. "Nice." He admitted grudgingly.

She shrugged before pointing back the way he had come.

"Cute." He rolled his eyes. "He was right behind me. And since when do you listen to me?"

She shrugged again before taking a seat beside the fire.

The sun was just touching the horizon when Knight floated up, stumbling a bit on the edge of the rock before throwing himself forward.

"Either of you mention the word 'floof' and I'll throw you off the edge." He warned, picking himself up and dusting the snow off his robes.

"I wasn't going to say it." Herro smirked.

Alia fixed him with an innocent look and raised her hands.

Herro glared. "You can talk now."

"You managed to get Alia to stop talking and now you're taking it back? What'd I miss?" The Warlock asked.

Alia punched him lightly in the arm. "Picture time!" She announced, surreptitiously rubbing her fingers. "Toby?"

The ghost materialized. He had been a lot more cheerful since she'd gotten him the new shell from the Iron Banner. 'Dashing' was more acceptable than 'charming', apparently.

"All right, guys. Let's gather by the fire."

Fireteam Minotaur settled themselves near the edge, Felwinter Range stretching out behind them, outlined by the setting sun.

"Smile, everybody." Alia announced.

Toby flashed.

"I think I blinked." Herro complained.

* * *

"The door. I have to…"

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Zavala looked up from his current project.

Alia's eyes were fixed on her crochet hook as she looped and yarned over, working on _her_ latest project. She glanced up for just a moment. "I just realized what she said."

"I apologize." Zavala commented, "I'm afraid I don't follow."

The Hunter pulled out another measure of yarn. "In the replication chamber. When…" She swallowed. "When we woke those poor souls twisted by SIVA, I heard a voice."

Zavala gently reached out and touched her knee. "They were no longer who they had once been, Alia."

"Maybe." She shook her head. "I hope so. But I know what I heard. It was a woman's voice. She said, 'the door, I have to…'"

"Are you saying…?"

"After all that time, Jolder was still trying to seal the door, to save Saladin, to save us all."

"Perhaps it was just a memory, a remnant."

Alia turned her crochet and started another row. "I wonder…"

"Yes?"

"Did Lord Saladin ever speak to you about Jolder, about any of the Iron Lords?"

"No." Zavala said thoughtfully, taking a moment to sip from the cup of tea on the table at his elbow. "His past was a sealed book until SIVA reemerged."

"I think he loved her." She murmured. "When I handed him her helmet. The look in his eyes…" She looked up. "It was so painful, and so _beautiful_ at the same time."

Zavala set down his crochet and held out his hand. She smiled and twined her fingers with his.

"Love is very like that, I've found." He murmured.

"Well said."

* * *

"Something's worrying you."

Zavala looked up to see Alia settling herself on the edge of his worktable. With a single gesture he activated the display he had been poring over.

Alia examined the map of the Cosmodrome, brows drawn together. "What am I looking at here?"

"All the places that the fallen houses were occupying."

She nodded. "Okay. Wait…" The furrow returned. "You said, 'were occupying.' Are you saying they've gone?" She rested her hands on the table, leaning forward to study the map more closely.

"This is a map of all recent recorded fallen activity." He waved his hand and another map overlaid the first.

"There's nothing there." She looked up at him. "Something doesn't feel right."

"The data says something isn't right." He corrected.

She rolled her eyes at him, but nodded.

"Reports have been coming in. The fallen have abandoned their territories; we've found their banners burned."

She leaned back, fussing with the edges of her cloak, a sure sign that she was nervous.

"The implications are…"

"This could either be good or very _very_ bad." She murmured.

He smiled slightly. "Not exactly how I would have put it. But succinct, nonetheless."

She looked at him searchingly. "That's not all, is it?"

Zavala shut off the display and walked around the table to take a seat on one of the couches. She settled in next to him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Alia leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"There is...a feeling in the air. Like a storm is approaching."

"Any data to back it up?" She asked, half-teasingly, before she sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I understand what you're saying." She covered the clenched hand on his knee with her own. Slowly it relaxed and their fingers entwined.

"I'm glad you're here." He told her softly.

She raised their entwined hands and pressed his to her cheek. "So am I." She murmured.

* * *

Cayde glanced up from the Vanguard conference table. "Well, if it isn't my favorite hunter!"

"Cayde." Alia replied. "You say that to all the Hunters."

"Doesn't mean it isn't true." He laughed. "So what can I…Hey, where you going?"

Commander Zavala looked up as the Hunter approached him, professional mask in place, though Cayde could swear that his eyes sparkled a little more than usual as he watched her.

The Vanguard commander straightened, lacing his hands behind his back. "Guardian?"

Cayde sensed Ikora trying to get his attention. He glanced over to see her widening her eyes at him. "This should be good." She mouthed.

Cayde turned back around just in time to see the Hunter rummage under her cloak, finally coming up with a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with an orange ribbon. She presented it to the Commander, whose eyebrows had climbed up his forehead.

"Happy Dawning." She announced, dead serious.

"Ah, I appreciate the thought, but the Dawning…" The Commander started...something about the look on her face made him stumble over his words. He finished nearly on a mumble. "Months ago."

"I just finished it." She told him, still holding out the gift.

Zavala glanced around. More guardians had gathered, and Cayde could even see Shaxx had emerged from behind his table to get a better look.

"It's impolite to refuse a Dawning gift." Ikora pointed out.

Zavala threw her a look that, for him, was nearly frantic.

He unfolded his hands from behind his back and accepted the package.

The Hunter took a step back, hands fussing with the edges of her cloak.

"You want me to open it _now_?" He demanded.

Her reply was a firm nod.

Cayde leaned on the table to get a better look, exchanging a glance and a wink with his ghost.

"As you will." Zavala said stoutly, setting the package on the table and untying the ribbon. Everyone held their breath as the paper fell back, even Cayde, and he didn't breathe.

Everything about the Commander seemed to soften as he reached down and picked up the contents, unfurling it to reveal a blanket crocheted of blue yarn with silver threads running through it. In the middle was the image of a lion, the same image that graced Zavala's armor, but in orange, rather than red.

He looked up at the blushing Hunter, speechless.

"Better than a sweater?" She asked.

In reply he released one corner of the blanket and reached out to hold her close.

"We have an audience." Alia murmured.

Zavala glanced around as though he had, for a moment, forgotten where he was.

He smiled.

Cayde gaped.

He actually _smiled_ before offering one corner of the blanket for the Hunter to hold. She caught on fast and suddenly there was a crocheted blanket between them and the onlookers.

Someone cheered and it took a second for Cayde to realize that it was him. Spontaneous applause broke out and Cayde looked around to find that Alia's fireteam was there, Herro whistling and Knight with his eyes rolled sky ward.

Cayde shook his head. "Crochet. Who knew?" He commented to his ghost. "Get a room!" He called, cupping his hands before his mouth.

Light laughter, rather breathless, sounded from behind the crocheted wall. The blanket dipped just enough for Zavala to fix Cayde with a brilliant blue glare.

All, for the moment, was right with the world, Cayde mused.


End file.
